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Llanarthney

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"LLANARTHNEY (LLAN-ARTHNEU), a parish, in the hundred of ISCENNEN, union and county of CARMARTHEN, SOUTH WALES, 6 3/4 miles (W. by S.) from Llandilo-Vawr, and 7 1/2 (E.) from Carmarthen; containing 2178 inhabitants. This parish is pleasantly situated on the south bank of the river Towy . . . It comprises by measurement about 11,000 acres, nearly all inclosed, and comprehends a considerable part of the mountain of Mawr, and a large tract of arable and pasture land . . . The village, through which passes the turnpike-road from Carmarthen to Llandilo-Vawr, is surrounded by a profusion of the richest and most picturesque scenery; situated on the south bank of the Towy, on one of the finest reaches of that beautiful river, it appears to be entirely inclosed by lofty eminences of singularly diversified aspect. . . Myddleton Hall, originally the property of David, brother of Sir Hugh Myddleton, and subsequently that of the late Sir William Paxton, who built the present mansion, occupies an eminence at a short distance from the vale . . . The church, dedicated to St David, is a neat plain edifice, with a low square tower, but presents no architectural details of importance. . . There were formerly two chapels of ease, of which one is now in ruins, and the other occupied by a congreagation of dissenters. . ." [From A Topographical Dictionary of Wales (S. Lewis, 1844).]

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Census

An 1821 listing of householders is held at the Carmarthenshire R.O.

Walters, G. Census Returns for Llanarthney, Carmarthenshire. J. of the Dyfed FHS, vol. 6, no. 5, (1998) pp.178-183. Has a lot of data about occupations.

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Church History

Some church and chapel data from The Religious census of 1851 : A Calendar of the returns relating to Wales, Vol 1, South Wales. Ed. by I.G Jones, & D. Williams. UWP, Cardiff, 1976. The names are those of the informants

  • Llanarthney Parish Church George Griffith Williams, Curate, Llanddarog Cottages
  • Penrhiwgoch Particular Baptists Erected in 1797 Benjamin Thomas, Minister, Penrhiwgoch
  • Dale Chappel CM Erected in 1814 Thomas Jones, Steward, Danyrallt
  • Cappel Dewi Chapel CM Erected in 1811 John Evans, Deacon, Penddantwyn fawr
  • New Llanlluan CM Erected in 1840 William Stephens, Deacon, Dullgoed ucha
  • Dwelling House at Llandre, Llanarthney Ind "Part of a dweling house unknown when erected, but by the cause or Society begun four years ago. Used as a dwelling house"
    "The cause of our worshipping in private house is that the land proprietors in the neighbourhood have refused the rent of a spot of ground for the erection of a house of worship. A petition was drawn up and signed by the Congregation (to apply for a convenient spot for purchase) and then sent to the different land Proprietors - all refused. One offered a spot for four times the value of the Rent. We accepted this disadvantageous offer, and drew up the lease, but after all he refused to fulfill his promise. We would feel glad were there a law to authorize us to demand a convenient spot for the erection of a house of worship." David Griffiths, Deacon, Dryslwyn fawr, Llangathen

Parish entry for Llanarthney from The Welsh Church Year Book, 1929 (Cd by (Archive CD Books).

  • St David
  • Incumbent and Curates; J Jenkins
  • Rural Deanery of Llandilo
  • Acreage 11,159 Population 912

Parish entry for Gorslas from The Welsh Church Year Book, 1929 (Cd by (Archive CD Books).

  • St Lleian & St Anne's, Cross Hands
  • Incumbent and Curates; T C Evans (D T Price)
  • Rural Deanery of Llandilo
  • Acreage --- ; Population 4,411

    George, Eifion. Eglwys Annibynnol y Tabernacl, Cefneithin, 1876-1976, (Llandysul, 1977), 145p.

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    Church Records

     

    Dyfed FHS have photographs and data relating to various churches and chapels on their site

    Parish registers: Christenings (1720-1891), Marriages (1720-1909), Banns (1754-96, 1829-47) and Burials (1720-1953) are at the Carmarthenshire Record Office.

    Facsimile Parish registers: Christenings and Burials (1720-1812) and Marriages (1720-1811) are at the National Library of Wales.

    Copy ts PR index CB (1813-75) M (1720-1875) at NLW and Carm.RO

    An Index to Christenings (1813-1875), Marriages (1720-1875) and Burials (1813-1875) is available on microfiche from Dyfed FHS.

    Bishops' Transcripts, covering the period (1672-3, 1678, 1681, 1707, 1717, 1720, 1725, 1727, 1730-M, 1748-53, 1755-89, 1791-1800, 1802-67, 1871-81) are at the National Library of Wales, and have been microfilmed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

    Marriage index for this parish - see Dyfed Marriages, 1813-1837, Vol. 18 - Iscennin Hundred (Dyfed Family History Society, c1989)

    An Index to Baptism 1813-1875 Marriage 1720-1875 Burial 1813-1875 has been produced by Dyfed FHS

    See Bap/Mar/Bur data on FreeReg

    Nonconformist Chapels:

    • Penrhiwgorch (Baptist, 1773), Penrhiwgoch Records with those of Tabernacle (Carmarthen) On Dyfed FHS
    • Elim Park Baptist chapel, Llanarthney (near Parcymarchog) On Dyfed FHS
    • Capel Dewi (Calvinistic Methodist, 1834), Capel Dewi Records with those of Water Street (Carmarthen), Dolgwynon, and Capel Newydd (Llandarog) On Dyfed FHS
    • Capel Dolgwynon (Calvinistic Methodist, 1815), Llanarthney village Births and baptisms (1816-37) PRO RG4/3862, LDS 828108, IGI Capel y Dolau on Dyfed FHS Capel y Ddol SN53311992 Coflein Capel y Dolau Llanarthne CM chapel - still open in 2006
    • Llanlluan (Calvinistic Methodist, 1745?), Maes-y-bont Births and baptisms (1819-37) PRO RG4/2255, LDS 815972, IGI SN55681588 Built 1840, rebuilt or modified 1860 and 1901 Coflein Llanlluan, Maesybont CM chapel - still open in 2006
    • Peniel CM chapel Foelgastell - still open in 2006 On Dyfed FHS
    • Hebron Independent Chapel, Drefach   - stone built in 1908  coflein
    • Saron (Independent, 1847), just outside Llanarthney village On Dyfed FHS Shown as still open on the Union of Welsh Independents site (Dec 2006)
      Rees, Thomas & John Thomas. Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru (History of the Welsh Independent Churches),4 volumes (published 1871+). Here is the entry from this book for this chapel (in Welsh ) - with translation by Gareth Hicks (Oct 2008)
    • Tabernacl Ind chapel, Cefneithin SN55281380 Built 1877 Coflein Shown as still open on the Union of Welsh Independents site (Dec 2006)

    Held at Carmarthen Archives;

    • Baptisms at Capel y Ddol, Llanarthne 1816-1923.

    Gors-Las [formed out of Llanarthney/Llandybie/ and Llanfihangel Aberbythych in 1879]
    Christenings (1880-1951) Marriages (1880-1982) Cross Hands (1959-79) Burials (1881-1945) at Carm.RO

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    Description & Travel

    The Religious census of 1851 : A Calendar of the returns relating to Wales, Vol 1, South Wales., byJones, I.G. & Williams, D. UWP, Cardiff, 1976. These statistics for this parish are extracted from this book which in turn got them from the 1851 census itself;

    • Area 10994 acres; Population 997 males, 1079 females, total 2076

    Photographs and description of Dryslwyn Castle.

    Jones, Tom & Delyth. Llanarthne Ddoe a Heddiw - Llanarthney past and present. Carmarthen County Council 2002

    The National Botanic Garden of Wales, Llanarthne, National Botanic Garden of Wales (1997) 19 p., col ill., maps.

    You can see pictures of Llanarthney which are provided by:

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    Gazetteers

    The transcription of the section for Llanarthney from The National Gazetteer (1868) provided by Colin Hinson.

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    Genealogy

    Carmarthenshire Families

    Held at Carmarthen Archives;

    • Material on the Stephens family of Llanarthne and environs.
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    History

    Paxton's Tower, Llanarthney, 2015 - on the People's Collection Wales site

    Beynon, T. Golud a mawl Dyffryn Tywi, Caernarfon, Argraffdy'r Methodistiaid Calfinaidd (1936) 143 p.

    Hanes Plwyf Llanarthney (History of Llanarthney Parish). NLW Ms 16552C [LDS 825318]

    Jones, Tom & Delyth. Llanarthne Ddoe a Heddiw (Llanarthney Past and Present). Carmarthenshire County Council, 2002. 500 p

    Lloyd, Sir John E., (Ed.). A History of Carmarthenshire (2 vols.), Cardiff, London Carmarthenshire Society (1935, 1939). Extracts from this book can be accessed on some parish pages, see here for this parish.

    Rowlands, J. Llanarthney. In Historical Notes of the Counties of Glamorgan, Carmarthen, & Cardigan, and a list of the Members of Parliament for South Wales, from Henry VIII, to Charles II., Cardiff, Hugh Bird (1866), pp.46-48.

    Solomon, A. The last siege of Dryslwyn Castle, Carmarthen, V.G. Lodwick & Sons Ltd. (1982) 120 p., ill., maps, plans, genealogical tables.

    Thomas, G. Harvey . Capel Dewi and Neighbourhood. Carmarthenshire County Council (2000) 264p. ISBN 090 6821533. It is a very extensive and well-illustrated compilation of material - naming lots of people

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    Land & Property

    Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

    • Papers of the Allen Family and Cilrhiw Estate "Deeds relating to the Cilrhiw estate in Lampeter Velfrey, Pembrokeshire 1767-1956, and Llanarthne, Carmarthenshire, 1712-1909."

    Middleton Estate as depicted on the 1848 Tithe Map - on the People's Collection Wales site

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    Maps

    Plan of the parish of Llanarthney in the County of Carmarthen - on the People's Collection Wales site

    Parish map (Kain/Oliver)

    You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SN519168 (Lat/Lon: 51.830455, -4.150042), Llanarthney which are provided by:

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    Names, Geographical

    Places, villages, farms etc within Llanarthney as shown on the online parish map from the CD of Historic Parishes of England and Wales: an Electronic Map of Boundaries before 1850 with a Gazetteer and Metadata [computer file]. (Kain, R.J.P., Oliver, R.R.). (Extracted by Gareth Hicks)

    • Llanarthney (75); Abbey Fm.; Aber Cothi; Afon Gwynon; Banc y Llyn; Banc-y-Mansel; Beili-glas; Blaen-Pibwr; Bremenda; Bryn-hawddgar; Capel-Dewi-uchaf; Castell-y-dryw; Castell y Gareg; Cefn-eithin (village); Clearbrook; Clos-glas(2); Colly.; Craig-y-geifr; Cwm-cae-helyg; Cwm-cerig; Cwm-difa; Cwm-du; Cwm-y-glo; Dre-fach (village); Dyllgoed; Ffinnant-uchaf; Ffos-y-ffin; Foel-gastell; Gareg-goch-ganol; Gareg-goch-isaf; Glan-Towy-lan; Glasgoed; Gors-goch(2); Gors-las (village); Gwendraeth Fach; Gwendraeth Fawr; Hafod-hir; Heol-ddu; Heol-fawr; Llanarthney (village); Llyn Llech Owen; Llwyn Dewi; Llwyn-du; L M & S R (Central Wales & Carmarthen); Maes-y-bont; Middleton Hall; Mill; Morfa; Pont Parc-y-dai; Parc-y-marchog; Penallt-isaf; Pen-pal; Pen-rhiw-goch; Pistyll-Dewi; Pont-y-felin; River Towy; Tower; Traws-dre; Waun-wen; Wenallt; Wern; Wern-fongarn?
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    Occupations

    Apprenticeship in Carmarthenshire. Two entries from the Llanarthney parish Vestry Book 1799-1807, originally from the "Transactions of the Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society" , transcribed 1913 by Geo. Eyre Evans, which is held at Carmarthen Archives. Dyfed FHS journal Vol 5/7 August 1996

    Blaenhirwaun Colliery, Cefneithin on the Welsh Coal Mines site

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    Public Records

    Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

    • Llanarthne Parish Council and Community Council Records 1890-1992 (accumulated 1894-1992)
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    Social Life & Customs

    THE GREAT GLASSHOUSE, NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDENS - on the People's Collection Wales site

    Jones Thomas, W. My childhood at Llanarthney, [Carmarthen], Cultural Services Dept., Dyfed County Council (1985) 74 p., [10] leaves of plates: p., ill., 1 coat of arms, ports.